Does Application of Genicular Nerve Block in Addition to Intra-articular Steroid Injection Increase Efficacy in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis?

Objective: Knee osteoarthritis is a disease which is characterized by severe pain and joint stiffness. Intra-articular steroid injections improve pain relief and knee mobility and widely used routinely especially if the inflammation and effusion are present in the joint. Genicular nerve block has been reported to be a new successful method in the management of chronic knee pain related to gonarthrosis. The current study assesss whether genicular nerve block application in addition to intra-articular steroid injection provides a more successful result

Comparison of the effects of calcium channel blockers on cardiovascular response due to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation

Objective: In this study, the effects of calcium channel blockers, verapamil and diltiazem, were compared in preventing reflex cardiovascular effects caused by laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation

Comparison of the eficacy of epidural steroid injection applied in cervical and lumbar regions

Objectives: Epidural injections have been used for many years in the treatment of chronic pain in patients with chronic back-leg pain and chronic neck-arm pain. We aimed to compare the efficacy of lumbar and cervical epidural steroid injections on pain palliation, duration of pain relief and patient satisfaction

Does the application of pulse radiofrequency to the suprascapular nerve provide additional benefit in patients who have undergone glenohumeral intra-articular steroid injection and suprascapular nerve block?

Objectives: Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal pain syndromes. Interventional treatments can be applied to patients who do not respond to conservative therapies. Intra-articular steroid injection and suprascapular nerve block are both short-acting and may sometimes be clinically inadequate. In this study, the answer to the question of whether pulse radiofrequency application to the suprascapular nerve provides additional benefit was investigated. Methods: Patients who had shoulder pain and were injected between October 2016 and April 2018 were evaluated retrospectively. Totally 160 patients who underwent shoulder injections were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups: 114 patients who underwent shoulder intra-articular steroid injection and suprascapular nerve block, as Group 1 and 46 patients who underwent pulse radiofrequency to the suprascapular nerve, in addition to shoulder intra-articular steroid injection and suprascapular nerve block, as Group 2. Results: There was no statistical difference between the groups in pre-intervention numerical rating scale (NRS) scores. One month after the intervention, NRS scores of Group 2 were significantly lower than Group 1. In both groups, 1 month after the intervention NRS scores were significantly lower than pre-intervention. The duration of pain relief for Group 2 was longer than Group 1. The satisfaction percentages of patients for Group 2 were higher than Group 1. Conclusion: In addition to glenohumeral intra-articular steroid injection and suprascapular nerve block, pulse radiofrequency application to the suprascapular nerve provides additional benefits in terms of NRS scores, duration of pain relief, and patient satisfaction

The relationship between fibromyalgia and depression, anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, fear avoidance beliefs, and quality of life in female patients

The study aims to determine whether there is a relationship between fibromyalgia (FM) disease and depression, anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, fear-avoidance beliefs, and quality of life in female patients with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. 37 female patients followed up with FM diagnosis in pain medicine clinic and a control group consisting of 37 healthy women were included in the study. Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics Data Form, Quality of Life Form, fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Visual Analogue Scale was applied to the participants. When the patients in the FM group were compared to the control group; Statistically lower scores in all Quality of Life Form subscales except emotional role difficulty and social functionality scores; statistically higher scores in both physical and work activity subscales in fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire; statistically higher scores in cognitive symptoms subscale in Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Visual Analogue Scale scores were found. In FM patients, it has been determined that anxiety, depression and perceived pain severity reduce social functionality and quality of life in areas such as mental health, physical function, and emotional role difficulties. It was determined that the functionality and quality of life of patients diagnosed with FM decreased in daily life. An important contribution of the study to the literature is that it shows that the behavior of avoiding activity due to pain-induced fear exacerbates the pain and even contributes to its chronicity. These results, which show the effects of anxiety, depression, anxiety sensitivity, and fear-avoidance behavior on the prognosis of the disease in FM patients, indicate that psychiatric evaluation and treatment in FM patients is an important factor that determines the functionality and quality of life

Can we use magnesium for sedation in the intensive care unit for critically ill patients: Is it as effective as other sedatives?

Objectives: The aim of this prospective, randomized study was to investigate the effect of magnesium added to midazolam on the hemodynamics, transition time to a T-piece, mechanical ventilation duration, additional sedative-analgesic requirement using bispectral index (BIS) monitorization and sedation scales

USG guided hemodialysis catheter insertion in sitting position: a case report

The use of USG has recently become more popular in anesthesia practice. The use of USG increases the success of the practice and protects the patient from possible complications. In this case, the benefits of hemodialysis catheter placement, procedural difficulties, and the use of USG are shared in a USG-accompanied patient who is expected to be difficult to administer. The use of USG increases the success of the attempted procedure and seriously reduces the complication rate especially in complicated patients. As in this case, we believe that the use of USG in such procedures will benefit many patients and practitioners and it would be beneficial to implement it routinely

The Type of Anesthesia Technique Does Not Have an Impact on 30-Day Mortality in Geriatric Patients Undergoing Lower Extremity Amputation

This study aimed to determine the appropriate anesthetic technique for patients who underwent amputation due to peripheral vascular disease. The anesthetic technique to be applied during lower extremity amputations in geriatric patients with limited functional capacity may be important in terms of clinical outcomes and mortality rates. Patients aged older than 65 years who had undergone major lower extremity amputation were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were divided into 2 groups: regional anesthesia (RA) and general anesthesia (GA). Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, medications used, anesthesia technique, the durations of anesthesia and surgery, need for blood transfusion, 30-day mortality, postoperative cardiac and pulmonary complication rates were recorded from the medical records of the patients. Among the 441 patients, 244 had received RA, while 197 had received GA. The average length of stay in the hospital was longer in the GA group (P = 0.001). The use of antiplatelet drugs (P = 0.001) and the number of transfusions were higher (P = 0.045) in the GA group. No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of mortality and postoperative cardiac or pulmonary complication rates. We determined that the anesthesia technique does not have an effect on 30-day mortality and complication rates. The regional anesthesia technique may be preferred in geriatric patients who will undergo major lower extremity amputation because of the shorter hospital stay and theoretical advantages. However, considering the general functional status of patients, the importance of patient-based evaluation should not be forgotten